October 8, 2007

China bans Canadian poultry imports on bird flu fears

China, which raises more poultry than any other country in the world, said Monday (October 8) it has banned Canadian poultry because of an outbreak of bird flu there.

The notice from the Agriculture Ministry said Canadian poultry imports were banned September 30, and that any shipments arriving in China would be destroyed or returned.

The move follows similar bans by the United States and Japan.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said last month that a strain of Avian influenza, or bird flu, that is not harmful to humans had been confirmed at a large chicken farm in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan avian influenza is not the H5N1 virus that has caused worldwide alarm, but officials say the H7N3 virus is a considerable threat to commercial poultry farms.